Get ready for Scouting adventure at Camp Three Falls! Located in the Lockwood Valley in northern Ventura County, at the base of Mt. Pinos, Three Falls offers summer camp for Webelos and Boy Scouts, as well as weekend camping for Scouts and other groups throughout the year.
Registration forms and other information are available on the Ventura County Council web site, or call the council at 805-482-8938.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

“The 3 Falls staff were simply inspiring to me. They all
exhibited a high quality of character that I hope my own boys will someday
aspire to achieve. Well done.”

“Every boy commented on how much they enjoyed the camp.
Staff was very helpful and friendly at every turn. We would definitely return.”

“Registration process allowing packs to customize the
program was great. Other camps the program is fixed and not flexible.”

“This was a great session. I felt I came away with a
renewed vision of what scouting is all about, which I didn’t expect….Thanks to
everyone who made these four summer days special to both the boys and adults.”

Boy Scout Leaders:

“The food this week was terrific! Carolyn and staff did an
amazing job. Thank you for introducing us to magic mac-n-cheese!”

“I have never been to a camp that cared so much about us
campers having the best week. All merit
badge counselors were well prepared, always positive, and always cared about
the youth. I will recommend this camp
to all!”

“Our boys really loved that the nature counselors would
spend their own time helping them hunt lizards, frogs, etc.”

"I would like to thank the staff of Camp 3 Falls for
the reverent and respectful manner in which you performed the Friday night
campfire [flag retirement]. It is hard to put into words the gratitude I feel for your staff
being respectful and professional. It was one of the best performed ceremonies
I have been to."

“Of all the scout camps that we have been to over the last
10 years, we have never had a week at camp without having some member of the
staff with a less than enthusiastic attitude. Camp Three Falls has been the
first exception! Every staff member that we dealt with and worked with has such
a good attitude and seemed genuinely happy.”

Sunday, June 29, 2014

The Cub Scout advancement program is undergoing a major revision effective in Spring of 2015, and we're already looking at how we can implement these changes for our 2015 Webelos Resident Camp. Since many Webelos leaders will be unfamiliar with the program changes, we think that Resident Camp will be a perfect time to bring you up to speed and help you get started with the new program.

The revised program is designed to be more den-based, easier for den leaders to plan and execute, and most importantly, more fun for the boys! Each rank will require the boys to complete seven "Adventures," which are intended to take about a month to complete. For each rank there are three or four "core" (required) Adventures. Dens can then choose from a list of elective Adventures for each rank to make up the required total.

Looking at early information on the Webelos program, we think we will be able to help dens complete portions of the following Adventures:

Webelos Walkabout (hiking)
Aquanaut (swimming and boating)
Camper (camping, obviously. Draft requirements include using GPS!)
Adventures in Science
Bull's Eye (BB guns and archery)
Castaway (How to avoid getting lost, and what do do if you do get lost)
Earth Rocks! (Geology)
Into the Wild (Nature)
Into the Woods (Trees and Plants)

Most of these will fit right into our existing program with just minor changes to our activities. However, this is a very preliminary list. We'll be studying the requirements in detail, and we hope to be able to let you know early in 2015 exactly what we'll be able to provide at camp.

We'll have more information in our 2015 Leader's Guide, and we'll keep you updated on this site as we fill in the details.

Monday, June 23, 2014

A couple of dens have asked about earning the Webelos Under the Stars patch during Webelos Resident Camp.

Webelos Under the Stars is a High Adventure patch offered by the California Inland Empire Council High Adventure Team. Meet the requirements below (easy to do at camp), fill out an application form, and have it signed by a member of your local council's High Adventure Team. We'll have copies of the application form at camp and can refer you to a HAT member for the signature. Take the form to the Scout Store back home and they'll sell you the patches you need.

Webelos Under the Stars
Webelos, Den Chiefs and
Scouters can earn this overnight camping patch by planning and attending any
Webelos Den overnight campout. However, this patch cannot be earned when working
on any other High Adventure Award.

Requirements:

Three weeks prior to the overnight campout, a Local Tour Plan must be filed
with your local Council Office.

The patch is earned by completing a Den overnight campout where Webelos are
working on various Activity Badges. This could be a family campout that Webelos,
parents, and Den Leaders are attending.

The patch may be worn on the right shirt pocket of the Webelos Uniform as a
temporary patch.

While the overnight campout does not have to be at a Council Camp, it is
recommended.

At least one adult should have a first-aid kit and be qualified in basic
first-aid.

Our first camp session is off to a great start with about 100 Webelos Scouts and 85 leaders/parents in camp. The staff put on a fabulous opening campfire last night, and the campers have been out in program areas all day -- hiking, cycling, swimming, shooting BBs and bow-and-arrow, climbing on the bouldering wall, and much more. Lots of tired but happy kids, and even tireder parents.

We have two more sessions of Webelos Resident Camp, then three weeks of Boy Scout Camp to come. If you're signed up to attend this summer, we look forward to seeing you soon, and if not, next year's dates have already been set, so mark your calendars!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Camp Three Falls will be offering Cycling Merit Badge for the first time this summer, using the new Mountain Biking option.

The badge will involve a lot of challenging, exciting off-road riding on trails near camp in the Lockwood Valley and surrounding hills.

This will be an intense merit badge: It requires a total of seven mountain bike rides ranging from 2 to 22 miles in length, as well as learning about bike handling, maintenance, and safety. To get all the requirements completed, we're scheduling this as a double-session merit badge, either two sessions in the morning or two in the afternoon, and participants may also have to devote some time for early morning or evening rides. Scouts taking this badge should be aware in advance that the time required may cause conflicts with some other activities.

Because of the physical demands of this activity, and for safety reasons, we are limiting participation to Scouts who will be at least 13 years old when they arrive at camp.

The class will be taught by experienced mountain bikers, using our bikes and other equipment. If a scout wants to bring his own mountain bike or helmet, he may use it, subject to inspection and approval by our instructors.

Cycling Merit Badge is a late addition to our offerings and is not included in the Leader Guide. Scouts who want to take the badge should reserve either period 1 and 2, or period 3 and 4. Leaders of units that are signed up for camp will receive more information on this badge later in the spring.

Our thanks to the Channel Islands Bicycle Club for their continued support of the bike program at Three Falls.

Also returning to Three Falls this summer are two merit badges that we haven't offered in some time: Pottery and Metalworking.

Pottery Merit Badge will be offered in the Handicraft area. Participants will learn about a variety of pottery techniques and will make a sculpture and several kinds of pots, including one thrown on a potter's wheel. Unlike some Handicraft badges, this one will take all week to complete because of the number of projects required. Pottery is open to all campers. There will be a small charge for materials.

Metalwork Merit Badge will be offered at our Rendezvous area. What better place than old Fort Lockwood to learn about the manly art of blacksmithing? We're rebuilding a forge that we've had in storage, and collecting tools to re-introduce this challenging merit badge. Participants will learn about metalworking techniques, materials, and safety concerns, and will make at least two objects to demonstrate their skills. Because of the strength and stamina required, and for safety reasons, we will be limiting this merit badge to Scouts who will be 14 or older at camp. There will be a charge for materials.

We will also continue to offer the popular Welding Merit Badge that we introduced last summer, and will add space so that more campers can participate.

The Place for Adventure

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How to Get Here

Take Interstate 5 to the Frazier Mountain Park Road exit, just north of Tejon Pass between Gorman and Lebec. Go about 7 miles west, through the communities of Frazier Park and Lake of the Woods, and turn left on Lockwood Valley Road. Go another 8.2 miles and turn right on Boy Scout Camp Road. The camp gate is at the end of the road, about three miles.

2018 Camp Dates

For your long-range planning convenience, here are the dates for Boy Scout and Webelos Summer Camp at Three Falls NEXT year -- 2018.

2018 Dates

Webelos

Session 1 - June 24-June 27

Session 2 - June 27-June 30

Session 3 - July 1-July 4

Boy Scout

Session 1 - July 8-July 14

Session 2 - July 15-July 21

Session 3 - July 22-July 28

LDS Week - July 30-August 4

2018 is our 85th Anniversary year, so we expect a full camp. Get your reservation in early to ensure your choice of dates.

Top 10 Reasons to Go To Camp Three Falls

10. The setting. Located at 5400 feet, Three Falls is on the border between the sagebrush plain of Lockwood Valley and the forested slopes of Mt Pinos, in an area that’s rich in geological and ecological diversity. The area offers awe-inspiring hikes to the Pinnacles, Middle Falls, North Falls, and beyond. With warm days and mild nights, the weather compares favorably to other camps in southern California and even those in the Sierras.

9. It’s close to home. When you get to Gorman on Interstate 5, you’re 2 ½ hours from Whitsett, 3 ½ hours from Chawanakee, but just 30 minutes from Three Falls. “Are we there yet?”

8. It's reasonably priced. Three Falls is priced competitively other with full-service summer camps in southern California and the Sierras, and by taking advantage of early bird discounts or bringing your own tents, you can save even more. Plus, Three Falls is close to home, so you'll also save on transportation costs.

7. Great food. Probably the best of any scout camp in southern California. The Friday barbeque really is the best meal you’ll find at any scout camp, anywhere.

6. Unique features like Fort Lockwood and our 57-foot climbing tower, tallest of any scout camp in southern California. Our lake is as big or bigger than those at other southern California camps, and we also have a pool. A lot of camps have one or the other, but not both.

5. Quality merit badge instruction.We offer about 30 merit badges, with experienced instructors who focus on providing a quality learning experience tailored to the needs of each boy. Scouts go home from Three Falls with not just a badge, but new skills that will last a lifetime.

4. Trail to First Class. Campers and leaders say our Trail to First Class program is one of the best around. We focus on developing basic skills, not just signing off requirements, so your first-year scouts go home with increased self-confidence in the outdoors and filled with enthusiasm for scouting.

3. Webelos Resident Camp. We’re one of the few camps in southern California that offers a summer resident camp program for Webelos Scouts.

2. Small is beautiful. The compact size of the camp means you don’t waste time traveling from one program area to another, and the smaller number of campers means every boy gets more attention from instructors and other staff.

1. The staff. Made up mostly of scouts and adults from Ventura County, our staff is passionate about scouting and committed to giving you the best possible summer camp experience.

Helpful Links

Mission Statement

It is the mission of Camp Three Falls to:

-- Support individual Scouts by working with unit leaders to develop Citizenship, Character, and Fitness through the application of the Eight Methods of Scouting; and by fostering in those Scouts an enthusiasm for Scouting that will lead them to be more active in the program, and remain active in the program through their teen years.

-- Support Troops and Packs by helping unit leaders to provide their Scouts with superior program activities that they might not be able to deliver otherwise; by developing leadership and teamwork; and by helping to build Troop, Pack, Patrol, and Den spirit and group identity.

-- Support the Council by developing enthusiastic Scouts and stronger Troops; and by creating a sense of community by bringing together Scouts from different locations and social groups for shared adventure and learning experiences.

If you want to sign up for summer camp, or are interested in using the camp for weekend programs for your Boy Scout Troop, Cub Scout Pack, or other group, registration forms are available on the Ventura County Council web site, or call the council office at 805-482-8938.

Disclaimer: This blog is maintained by Larry Tuck, a volunteer scout leader in Ventura County, California and Program Director for Camp Three Falls. It is not sanctioned or approved by the Ventura County Council or the Boy Scouts of America. It is intended as a supplement to the official council site, and as a forum for my own opinions about camps and camping.